1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to water jets for spas and the like and more particularly to apparatuses that house a plurality of water jets for installation in cementitious (in-ground) spas.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recreational bathing units, such as spas, xe2x80x9chot tubs,xe2x80x9d whirlpools, and the like, have become increasingly popular in recent years. Most recreational bathing units are constructed as xe2x80x9cabove-groundxe2x80x9d (as opposed to xe2x80x9cin-groundxe2x80x9d) models and typically include a molded shell that serves to contain water, with seats, shelves and other features molded into the shape of the shell. The shell is usually made from plastic, fiberglass, or a composite material. One or more pumps housed under the shell draw water contained in the shell and re-circulate it through a variety of xe2x80x9cpressure nozzles,xe2x80x9d e.g., so-called hydrotherapy or water jets.
The water jets are usually mounted in the shell under the water line, and are designed to provide a comforting or therapeutic effect to a person in the spa One typically installs a water jet in an above-ground spa by making a hole in the shell, and fixing the jet in the hole by a use of seals, adhesives, welding compounds, etc. Water supply lines from the pumps to the jets are usually flexible hose connections or rigid PVC piping. After the jets and tubing are in place, a foam-like material is blown into the empty spaces to provide thermal and sound insulation. This general construction method has been utilized very successfully, and is currently almost universally used in the above-ground spa industry.
As the demand for spas has increased, so too has the demand for more features. Indeed, one of the most popular options presently is the multiple-jet bank or array. An array of jets is a single structure that houses a plurality of water jets such that the jets are concentrated in a particular area of the spa, thus increasing the level of comfort or therapeutic massage felt by the spa user. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,092,246, Ludlow describes and illustrates a removable panel of jets plumbed from a single water and air inlet. Like the other jets found in above-ground spas, Ludlow""s array of water jets contains hoses that carries the water from the inlet pipe, through the array interior and to the jets.
While multiple water jets are commonly featured in higher end above-ground spas, up until now (and for a variety of cost and construction-related reasons as discussed below), in-ground spas are only plumbed with single water jets. This is because the water and air supply pipes of in-ground spas extend into the ground and through concrete reinforcing bar ( xe2x80x9crebarxe2x80x9d) and cementitious material (e.g., gunite), making the plumbing of multiple pipes for multiple water jets very labor intensive (see FIGS. 1 and 2). Moreover, a high degree of precision and coordination between the cement and steel contractors and the plumber is required if water jet location and alignment are to be satisfactory after the cement is poured. Obviously, plumbing or jet installation mistakes are difficult and expensive to fix once the in-ground spa hardens.
Simply adding an array of jets designed for use in an above-ground spa (such as Ludlow""s) would not provide a good solution due to the complexity of installation of Ludlow""s hollow pod structure. Furthermore, poor workmanship and defects in the hose materials that link each jet to the water supply line can cause leaks. In fact, even ordinary wear and tear tends to flex hosing joints and seals and eventually open them up to form leaks. Therefore, the more tubing or piping utilized in an array of jets, the higher the probability over time of a leak occurring.
The amount of horsepower that water and air pumps can supply to an above-ground spa versus an in-ground spa is generally much less. This difference limits the number and type of water jet arrays that can usefully be installed in an above-ground spa. For example, the jet arrays installed in many above-ground spas feature xe2x80x9cmini-jetsxe2x80x9d due to the fact that the piping must be small enough to supply sufficient water velocity. In-ground spas typically do not have such constraints because the pumps utilized therewith are not housed within a spa shell and can therefore be much larger and more powerful. This also means that the water jet array and any piping it contains must be able to withstand the higher water pressure produced by a relatively high horse power in-ground spa pump.
For the foregoing reasons, neither the Ludlow patent nor any other reference is known to disclose or suggest the installation of above-ground xe2x80x9cjet podsxe2x80x9d or jet arrays in a cementitious (in-ground) spa Thus, there remains a need in the art for an array of water jets that is adapted specifically for in-ground spa use, is inexpensive to manufacture, easy to install, and is less prone to leakage due to a structure that obviates the need for hose connections between the jets and the water supply.
The invention relates in general to an array of water jets that does not utilize hoses between the water supply inlet pipe and each individual jet, making it especially suitable for in-ground spa use. More particularly, the invention relates to a water-containing structure having a front and a back panel, thus defining an interior cavity through which water flows to the in-ground spa The front panel has a plurality of water outlets disposed thereon while, preferably, the back panel has a water or a water and air inlets. A venturi also may be included where the water and air pipes interface such that aeration of the water occurs. Accordingly, water (and air) flow hoselessly from the inlet(s) to the plurality of water outlets such that a water-jet effect is achieved. Of course, each water outlet may be provided with a variety of pressure nozzles or jet fittings.
Thus, the present invention provides significant advancement over the known related art by providing an array of water jets that uses no hoses within the internal cavity of the water-containing structure to connect the water supply to the water outlets. This is an improvement over the existing art because there are no hoses or hose fittings within the array to break or leak. Moreover, the invention is simple to install on a single water supply pipe and can be either inset into the spa wall or connected to the spa wall surface.
In one embodiment, the water-jet array of the invention is substantially rectangular in cross-section, having a front panel and a back panel connected by four sidewalls, and can be installed such that the front panel is flush with the spa-wall interior surface. In another embodiment, the array features a front panel that is concave and is thus suitable for mounting on a water supply pipe such the array extends from the spa-wall interior surface to form, for example, a neck or back massage station. Still another embodiment features a front or back panel that is convex. Practically any size array or number of arrays or jets can be accommodated provided the water pump is sufficient to supply the desired water pressure.
Therefore, it is a primary objective of the invention to provide a water-jet array that requires water to flow hoselessly from a supply inlet to a plurality of water-jet outlets.
Further, an object of the invention is to provide a water-jet array that is installed as a single unit and without additional plumbing.
Another object of the invention is to provide a water-jet array that is easy to install in a spa constructed from cementitious materials.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a water-jet array that is inexpensive to manufacture.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a water-jet array that minimizes the possibility of leakage and related repair expense.
Various other purposes and advantages of the invention will become clear from its description in the specification that follows. Therefore, to the accomplishment of the objectives described above, this invention includes the features hereinafter fully described in the detailed description of the preferred embodiments, and particularly pointed out in the claims. However, such description discloses only some of the various ways in which the invention may be practiced.